Well, this sure has put a wrench in the works for us all, hasn’t it? It is an extremely difficult time for everyone and there is so much uncertainty on almost every front.
As you may have heard, real estate was deemed an essential service and our businesses have stayed open to a certain extent. It is NOT business as usual. Most offices are closed to the public and most real estate agents are working from home. Deals are still occurring to some degree and that’s why we got the essential service designation – to allow current deals in process to continue through to closing.
You will still see new listings post, but we have been told by our various Boards, Associations and governing bodies to eliminate Open Houses and to reduce in-person showings unless they are absolutely critical; and, have the informed permission of all parties. All protocols recommended by the Health Authorities are to be observed when an in-person showing is conducted including social distancing, disinfecting all surfaces possible (especially doorknobs, etc), hands-in-pockets only.
Instead, what you may see is increased virtual tours and virtual showings, with one person (probably your agent) doing a walk-through while on live feed such as Zoom or FaceTime. While this may be a good way to introduce people to a property, I’m not sure that as a realtor I would recommend that my clients close on a property that they haven’t seen. If you are going to put an offer in on a property without setting foot in or on it, you might want to include a condition that you view it at least once in person, prior to firming up your deal. The home inspection condition is another one that may be challenging but should be included.
I don’t make the following statement lightly because if I don’t work I don’t get paid, but I personally believe that unless you have a pressing reason to move (and some people absolutely do!), we should all listen to the experts who are telling us to just stay home. We all want for ourselves, our families and our communities to stay well.
If you are one of those people who has a pressing reason to buy or sell in the Southern Georgian Bay area now, please don’t hesitate to call me. We can figure out how to achieve your goals in the safest and most effective way, together. If you are considering buying or selling in the future, let’s get started on making those plans happen. If you can take me on your own virtual tour of your property, I can provide you with a Market Value Assessment and make suggestions about things to do to get ready to list. If you are going to make a purchase, I have worksheets to help you with your budget and can start sending you whatever listings are available so that you can get a better idea of what is available in various price ranges. There is still lots we can do during this quieter time.
Together we WILL get through this.
REAL ESTATE IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS
